The 39-year-old Adams, who costarred with Hoffman in the 2012 film "The Master" and 2008 film "Doubt" – for which she received an Academy Award nomination – became visibly upset as the conversation veered toward the actor's death.

"He was beautiful," Adams told Lipton. "He's a beautiful spirit and he had this unique ability to see people, to really see them -- not look through them -- he just really saw people. And he will be missed."

Pausing in an apparent attempt to hold back tears, Adams added, "Sorry, I really. . . I just really loved him and I know so many people did. And I just don't know how much more I can talk about it right now. Sorry."

Reacting to his guest's inability to continue with the topic, Lipton also addressed Hoffman's death, telling Adams, "We've arrived at a difficult moment, of course, for you, for me, for the craft that we love, for the world in which we live."

"Fourteen years ago, I brought Philip Seymour Hoffman to this stage with the prediction that he would become the greatest actor of his generation," Lipton added.

On Feb. 2, Hoffman was found dead of an apparent heroin overdose in his New York City apartment. He was just 46 years old.

Earlier in the interview, Adams had discussed what it was like to work with Hoffman and Meryl Streep in the film "Doubt."

"They were amazing to work with. Again, I say the things that I value about actors -- there's talent, there's skill -- but without work ethic, without that generosity of spirit to take people with you on that brilliant journey that you take," said Adams while taking a pause to hold back tears. "Both Meryl and Philip have this ability to create. . . To create a world -- which as an audience you get to experience that -- but you get to experience that in the room acting with them as well. And it's transformative."